A little different perspective (a PSR 800 user). I am using a PSR800 with all the updates, hooked up to and outside Yagi up 20 feet with 50 ft of LMR 400 coax. The Yagi is pointed at the Geauga Tower located on Chagrin Road in Bainbridge. The Yagi runs through a Hamtronics 800 Mhz preamp and then into a duplexor that also has a Diamond J Discone mounted up 15 feet with LMR 400 coax run of 50 ft. All 700-800 Mhz comes from the Yagi and all VHF-UHF low/high band comes off the discone.
With my setup I pull in MARCS P-25, Cleveland P-25, MARCS (off Beachwood, Chesterland Towers), Southwest SWARN, Summit County 800 system. My results are as follows:
MARCS P-25 hearing Chagrin, Solon, Geauga, Cuyahoga County and sometimes Lake County from the Cuyahoga 700 Mhs and never Lake's 800 Mhz) - Sometimes perfect, sometimes horrible but mostly acceptable but nothing like the old analog Geauga system. I will say though that the Geauga P-25 System is getting better from its early startup.
Cleveland P-25 - Sometimes quite garbled, sometimes good and on average ok.
MARCS - the quality of MARCS 3600 is deteriorating. It has slipped backwards in my opinion as to clarity. It now sounds very 800 ish with scratchy sound like the users are trying to swallow the mike. Occassionally it is very clear but within the past 2 months it has slipped to average.
Southewest SWARN - Always clear
Summit - 90 % clear and the other 10% sounds like MARCS above - scratchy.
I have played extensively with the PSR 800 settings to no avail. I have found that the default settings work best and for sure the recent Firmware and DSP updates have improved reception to where now it is somewhat enjoyable listening again.
John
